Friday, February 26, 2016

Winter Reading 2016 The Slowest Book Ever

"If you think slowly enough, the entire world can be amazing." That statement should have you pausing to ponder it, and then diving in to enjoy this book full of slow facts. Sayre has gathered thoughtful bits of information about a range of topics from the slowest animals on Earth to slow phenomena in outer space and lots of things in between. I enjoyed reading about giant sequoias, the Methusaleh tree, and the subjective nature of time. Some of the facts were very funny such as the idea that hummingbirds are actually some of the slowest animals. Sure, they move their wings really quickly, but they are hovering; they don't actually go anywhere. Some explained situations that happen all the time, like why I seem to want a snack every day around 9:30 (it's those 90 minute cycles our systems go through). And some made me want to try it for myself, like her experience with www.realsnailmail.net.

Whether you read it from beginning to end, or skim through and read whatever catches your attention, it is an entertaining and enlightening book. Books that give you ideas to think over aren't always this much fun. Recommended for trivia nuts, science lovers, folks who enjoy records of all sorts (slowest animal, slowest rock erosion, etc.), reluctant readers, and fans of the author. As she says in closing, "The universe is expanding...and expanding... Will your mind expand with it?" It will if you read this book.